Wednesday, July 4, 2012

25 American History Facts Most Students Don’t Kno

25 American History Facts Most Students Don’t Know

This Fourth of July, while you’re busy with barbecue and fireworks, you just might find yourself feeling a bit patriotic and proud of our country’s history. But how much do you really know about it? If you’re anything like today’s students, you don’t know much at all. We’ve discovered 25 essential American History facts that students struggle with, and the results are a bit worrying.

Education Overtime visited the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and asked students why President Lincoln was important to America. One student answered that his beard made him important; another said he was killed at a puppet show. Few were able to explain his leadership and role in the American Civil War.

If kids can’t identify why Lincoln was important, you’d at least think they can understand why ourvery first president was an important leader. Nope. In the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 23% of fourth graders were able to point out his status as the first U.S. President, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, participation in the Constitutional Convention, or his role in the French and Indian War. Twenty-four percent entered inappropriate responses, 45% got partial credit, and 7% didn’t even try to answer at all.

Surely, a selection of the best U.S. presidents is a subjective one, but a 2008 Harris poll revealed that the public’s perception is totally off base. It turns out that students and the general public are much more likely to list those with which they’re familiar from their own lifetime, rather than true “greatness.” When measured against the lists that most historians provide, they are completely different.

In a 2007 telephone sample, students were asked if the American Civil War occurred in the half-century between 1850-1900. Only 43% identified this period as the correct one. This is, however, an improvement upon 1986 numbers: during a survey in that year, only 32% answered the question correctly.

In a Newsweek quiz, an incredible number of Americans were not able to pass the basic citizenship quiz. Perhaps the most alarming of these questions was, “What happened at the Constitutional Convention?” This one is so baffling because the answer is right in the question!

In a multiple choice question, many students were unable to pick out the Soviet Union as an ally of the U.S. in WWII. This was in the National Assessment of Educational Progress, an exam that fewer than 20% of American fourth and eighth graders showed more than a basic knowledge on.

In Newsweek‘s U.S. citizenship test, few were able to identify the authors of The Federalist Papers. In fact 88% of respondents got the question wrong, failing to share the names of even one of the authors Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.

The Lunch Scholars video from a Washington State high school reveals just how bad things really are in the history department: not one student on the video was able to identify the American Revolutionary War as the war in which American gained independence. Not without a hint, anyway.

When asked what role many colonial women played during the American Revolution, many students weren’t able to correctly answer that women kept farms and shops running during the war: 54% of fourth graders answered incorrectly.

The Bill of Rights gives Americans a set of unalienable rights, if only we could remember what they are. A third of students don’t know that the Bill of Rights guarantees the freedom of speech and religion.

In the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress, nearly 80% of 12th graders selected the wrong answer when asked which country was North Korea’s ally in fighting the U.S. during the Korean War. Even worse, it was a multiple choice question, allowing students to choose between the Soviet Union, Japan, China, and Vietnam.

In 2010, fourth graders were given a map of U.S. expansion and asked to identify why Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark on their expedition. Fifty percent of students were unable to correctly identify that they were sent to gather information about lands for settlement.

In a question that shared a passage from the First Amendment, students were asked which right it protects. Fifty-five percent of students failed to identify the correct answer as the right to hold public meetings, instead choosing answers including the right to a prompt trial, to a jury of one’s peers, and to vote regardless of race or color.

It seems that students have a hard time understanding the impact that settlers had on Native Americans: only 8% of fourth grade students answered this question correctly on the 2010 NAEP. Thirty-nine percent of students shared inappropriate responses, and 32% only received partial credit.

In the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress, fourth graders were asked what changed for African-Americans in the South after the Civil War. Thirty-five percent of students were unable to correctly identify freedom for slaves, instead answering that they returned to Africa, started their own plantations, or became governors. Three percent of students didn’t answer at all.

Although 50% of fourth graders were able to identify that JFK’s “Ask not” speech was intended to encourage citizens to put their skills to work for the U.S., another 50% did not. Forty-eight percent of students got the answer incorrect, and 2% omitted the question.

When asked why the Pilgrims wanted to leave England in the 2010 NAEP, only 43% of fourth graders answered the question correctly, identifying religious persecution. Most of the responses were wrong, with 55% incorrect, and 2% who failed to enter a response.

Students were asked to identify how work changed for Americans due to machines and factories, and correct responses included: people worked faster, machines did work people used to do, people worked more outside of the home, and people made parts instead of whole products. Only 11% of fourth graders filled in complete, correct answers. A whopping 10% of students omitted the question entirely.

Fourth graders were given a multiple choice question to identify the purpose of the Declaration of Independence. Choices included the right to vote, organization of one religion, and how the new government of the U.S. would work. Few chose the correct answer: the Declaration of Independence explains why the colonies would no longer let England control them. Only 35% of fourth graders got this question correct; 64% answered incorrectly.

A whopping 72% of students failed to identify that the U.S. fought Hitler and Germany in World War II. Twenty-seven percent got this question correct, choosing the Second World War over choices including the Civil War, First World War, and the Vietnam War.

Forget which war Hitler was a part of — many students have no idea who he was at all. Nearly a quarter of students can’t identify Adolf Hitler. Ten percent of students think he was a “mutinous manufacturer.”

When shown a map of the colonial economy identifying harbors, production, and key cities, most students were unable to identify that the location of harbors was important for cities that grew during colonial times. Sixty percent of students got this question incorrect.

9 comments:

It's a shame so much of history is no longer being taught. In this case, it's not the student's fault. I blame the districts and the educators. I graduated in 1972, 40 (gasp) years ago. When I worked as a corp phone operator, 4 of us were in a room together. We could talk if no one was on a call. We used to do trivia. 2 of the other 'kids', 25 or so years younger could not answer, did not know, or even heard of some of the stuff we came up with. I regret it's been too long since school and I was unable to answer all the questions you had posted. BTW, love your blog.

Unfortunately, I started to laugh when I read the statistics, which is no good at all. Not knowing who Hitler was? Where are you, living under a rock? My husband, Norman, is a teacher and says the situation is even worse, really. he was teaching 7th grade and a student asked him to teach him how to read. Really, truly. He had gotten to the 7th grade and couldn't read one word. Nothing was wrong with the kid, not dyslexic, no ADT, not stupid, just never learned. Norman stayed after school and worked with the kid for a few weeks, enrolled him in a special class, and got the kid going. But I worked at the Stanford GSB where it was just the opposite. The brightest of the brightest. One 26 year old man didn't know who Katherine Hepburn was, tho. Imagine, going for a MBA, and not knowing that! I made him rent a few of her movies. You have to have a well-rounded education, after all!

People don't need to know facts anymore They rely on google. Sad. No need to learn multiplication tables either Use a calculator. Soon it will be no need to read...just watch a video and play video games. Really sad.

The problem is the tests that states force teachers to give. They have to teach for the test, so these incidental facts don't matter. I sub for the local school district. I subbed on Veteran's Day last year. Our district is not closed, but each and every school holds a program. I had high schoolers and I asked each class..."Why is November 11th Veteran's Day?" Out of the 6 classes, maybe 2 students had an inkling. I subbed for that class off and on for the rest of the year and every time I was there, I'd ask "Why is November 11th Veteran's Day." Some of the kids remembered. The last time I was there I forgot to ask in one class and one of students asked, lol. But it's a minor thing that we need to remember in history and even with the program...the kids didn't know.

To know history and important people and events of the past is so important. I'm sorry to hear this is not taught in many schools today. What then will the future hold for us when the young ones know so little about our great country?